Row over ‘spokesperson hunt’ exposes cracks in MP Congress

Bhopal: Factionalism within the state Congress revealed its ugly head on Saturday. In a sudden development, state Congress media cell chairman Mukesh Naik resigned from the post after some bitter exchange over the constitution of the party's Talent Hunt Committee to find capable new spokespersons. Naik is a senior leader and former minister of the erstwhile Digvijaya Singh govt.In his resignation letter addressed to state Congress President Jitu Patwari, the former minister wrote, "Yesterday at the working committee meeting I said that the old brigade of the party should leave to make place for younger people. I am willingly resigning from the post. In the last two years, I had the good experience of working with a hard-working, honest and capable state party president. My good wishes."However, the state Congress President did not accept Mukesh Naik's resignation. A letter from state PCC organisational general secretary Sanjay Kamle later in the day said that Mukesh Naik will continue as state party media department chairman.It all started with the AICC announcing a Talent Hunt for new spokespersons. The AICC media department directed every state party unit to constitute a Talent Hunt Coordination Committee with the state party media department chairman as ex-officio coordination head. In Madhya Pradesh, the party's media department chairman is Mukesh Naik while the media in-charge is a younger Abhay Tiwari.However, the first coordination committee list of 11 members was issued by party organisational general secretary Sanjay Kamle on Dec 9. The list included names of Reena Borasi, newly appointed Mahila Congress President, Yash Ghanghoria, state Youth Congress President, Avneesh Bhargava, state Seva Dal chief, training department head Mahendra Joshi, party spokesmen Mithun Ahirwar, Rahul Raj, Abhinav Barolia, and Anand Jat.But objection to this list came from the AICC, which pointed out that the committee was to be appointed by the media department chairman. Mukesh Naik, meanwhile, nominated state party media in-charge Abhay Tiwari to form the committee. When the committee list was ready, it saw an incomplete quorum because there were no minority and tribal members. Hence, on Dec 23, Naik added the names of MLA from Jhabua Vikrant Bhuria and MLA from Bhopal Central seat Arif Masood to complete the list and signed the same.Sources in the party said that Abhay Tiwari took to the state Congress internal social media platforms and claimed that "some people are conspiring" against the party. On Friday late evening hours, Abhay Tiwari issued an official letter that said, "The order number MPCC/0018/2025 of Dec 23, 2025, by media department chairman Mukesh Naik is being cancelled because of the lack of competent approval and practical strength." On Saturday morning, Naik put in his papers.State BJP, meanwhile, took a jibe saying, "The Congress party internal feud is out in the open. The Mukesh Naik resignation incident shows how senior leaders in the party are humiliated and neglected. This is the reason why a senior leader like Mukesh Naik had to resign. It is a party where only sycophants can make place for themselves. Good functionaries do not get the opportunity to work." MSID:: 126206150 413 |